Where are you currently based?
I’m currently based in Melbourne, Australia.
How did you first start playing music?
I’ve pretty much been singing ever since I was born. My parents have hours and hours of home videos to prove it. I have this really vivid memory of singing Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne at a school assembly when I was in Prep. I guess it all started from there.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Lockdown was intense, not gonna lie. For a while there, we were really reconsidering whether or not 2020 was a good year to release a debut single. In retrospect, it makes a lot of sense for someone like me to launch an artist project in such a chaotic year. It’s also been really cool finding new ways to collaborate with people, using Zoom and Facebook. I guess, in short, my COVID experience has been like any other: challenging, but we’ll all be stronger for it.
Your new single ‘Matches’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I listen to a lot of Scandinavian music. My own music is heavily inspired by artists like Sigrid, NOTD, Boy In Space and SHY Martin – just to name a few. There’s still a stigma around pop music in Australia which needs to be addressed. That’s why I look overseas, particularly to Europe, for inspiration. Pop music there feels less inhibited.
How did you go about writing ‘Matches’?
It’s funny you ask. Matches is actually quite an old song. I remember coming up with the hook while catching the train to a writing session in Sydney back in 2018. It’s a song that kept evolving every time I revisited it. For that reason, I knew it deserved a release. I describe it as angsty pop with a drop. I’m a firm believer in that heartbreak is the secret formula to writing a good pop song.
Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with?
Matches was well underway by the time my first single Dopamine dropped. At the time, Melbourne was still in lockdown so most of the production came together remotely. Matches was produced by my mate Ben Field. He’s an absolute legend. We first started working together when I finished high school. Prior to that, he worked on a bunch of really cool projects, including Mallrat’s Uninvited – EP. Ben has produced all my material so far. I’m so lucky to be able to work with him.
How did you approach the recording process?
Most of the vocals for Matches were recorded at the start of 2020. By the time Ben started working on the song, all that was left for me to record were the harmonies and ad-libs. That’s my favourite part. That’s what really brings a song to life. Vocal production, in general, is so fascinating to me. It’s my favourite part of the production process.
How and why did your transition from songwriter to artist come about?
Truth be told, I never intended to release my own music. I was quite happy writing for other people. Slowly but surely, however, music bureaucracy started to wear me down. I had hundreds of songs piling up, looking like they’d never be released. Conversely, as I started to deal with more personal subject matter in my music, songwriting began to feel suffocating. It felt like I was bottling up feelings without a means for expressing them. I guess I needed a little extra breathing space. That’s how TRYHARD came to be.
Please tell us about your law degree and how you manage to juggle music and law:
My law studies were a huge consideration when it came to releasing my first single. I guess it also factored into why I got my start writing for others as opposed to writing for myself. I was under the impression that music and law were totally incompatible. That if I wanted to pursue one, I would have to give up on the other. To be honest, my reasoning there was totally flawed. I think the idea that a person can only be ONE thing is crap. I never want to stop learning. That’s a value my dad instilled in me from a very young age. If I want to be a lawyer/pop artist, you best believe I’m gonna do it!
How are you feeling about not being able to play or attend festivals?
It’s pretty depressing. Festivals are like therapy. They were also super formative in my development as an artist. I love the platform they give to new and emerging artists. There’s something so magical about the atmosphere festivals create. It’s the marriage of good music and good people. I miss sharing those moments with my friends 🙁
Please tell us about your European influences, especially that you write songs in French:
I grew up learning both French and Italian. I was lucky enough to spend a few months on exchange in Belgium towards the end of high school. Then, one of my best friends moved to Paris. Languages, French in particular, have opened a lot of doors for me, so releasing music in French is definitely on my to-do list. I’m really excited by that prospect, especially considering the demand for multilingual music in the streaming age.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m obsessed with everything Kota Banks has released lately. Cheat Codes have also been dropping bop after bop. There’s so much exciting music coming out right now. It’s really made 2020 bearable.
What do you like to do away from music?
Away from music, I’m usually studying or hanging out with my mates. Going for long drives is also a vibe.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020, going into 2021?
I’ve got a lot of new music planned. And I mean A LOT. Hopefully as Melbourne starts opening back up, additional opportunities will present themselves too. There may also be a few collaborations and co-writes in the works…
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Ahhh, that’s hard. Either entrecôte or HSP haha. Fave place to hangout? Probs the local pub with my mates, otherwise anywhere picturesque late at night. I’m a sucker for a good aesthetic.
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